PORT ST. LUCIE — A 23-year-old man linked to two robberies last year in Stuart was arrested Tuesday in Port St. Lucie on drug and other charges, according to officials and records released Wednesday.

Seth Pusieko was one of three people quickly identified in a November robbery outside a pharmacy in the 600 block of Colorado Avenue near downtown Stuart, police said. Police also say he was wanted in connection with a June robbery with similar circumstances at the same location. (more…)

PORT ST. LUCIE — Police on Monday released photos of a man accused of robbing a Walgreens last week of methadone tablets and are asking for help to find him, according to a release and police records.

The man reportedly entered the store in the 200 block of Southwest Port St. Lucie Boulevard about 4:50 p.m. Thursday with a blue and white towel over his shoulder.

He walked to the pharmacy counter, though by that time the towel was wrapped around one hand. The man, who is white and thought to be in his mid 40s, wore a camouflage hat, white T-shirt, shorts and tennis shoes.
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SEBASTIAN — Police investigators said they uncovered a criminal enterprise involving ill-gotten prescription drugs, out-of-state pill smuggling and stolen auto parts when they searched a home last weekend.

Investigators spent 30 hours searching an undisclosed home late Friday and most of Saturday, said Sebastian Officer Steve Marcinik, police spokesman. Eight investigators recovered more than 3,000 pills with a street value of $60,000, as well as $6,500 worth of stolen property and $4,500 cash, investigators said.

“This shows a direct link between theft and the illegal prescription drug business,” Marcinik said.
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TREASURE COAST — The number of Treasure Coast medical equipment suppliers for Blue Cross/Blue Shield patients will dwindle to three starting Nov. 1.

The cutbacks follow a competitive bidding process by regional suppliers who provide products from diabetes testing strips to oxygen machines statewide to remain in the Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Florida network.

Liberty Medical Supply and Physician’s Choice Respiratory Services, Inc., both in Port St. Lucie, and Rotech Oxygen & Medical Equipment in Stuart remain as the lone Treasure Coast suppliers after the bidding, according to a Blue Cross/Blue Shield list sent to Oxygen Plus in Vero Beach.
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VERO BEACH — More than 1,000 Medicare patients were impacted by a decision by a health maintenance organization this month to end its affiliation with a local clinic, which has offices in Indian River and St. Lucie counties.

Quality Health Plans, of Tampa, which is contracted to offer a Medicare Advantage Plan through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has terminated its contract with University Medical Clinics as of June 30.

The company “felt that this was necessary due to multitude of reasons; abrupt closures of UMC clinics thus affecting patient care and accessibility, UMC threatening patient abandonment, inability of UMC to maintain financial solvency,” according to an e-mail sent Monday from Quality Health Care.
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ROSELAND — Law enforcement officials searched a home Monday they suspected of being a methamphetamine lab and arrested two people.

The Drug Enforcement Administration, with the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office and the Sebastian Police Department, launched the investigation following a tip early Monday, Sheriff’s Detective Eric Flowers said. A local pharmacy notified law enforcement after someone bought ingredients commonly used for making methamphetamine, Flowers said.
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A former Walgreens pharmacy technician has been arrested after police say she befriended an elderly woman and then stole credit cards and prescription drugs from her.
St. Lucie County Sheriff’s officials have charged Melissa Dewey of Bella Vista Way in Port St. Lucie with multiple crimes including grand theft from the elderly, trafficking in oxycondone and fraudulent use of ID and credit card.
They say Dewey first ingratiated herself to Dianne Birnbaum about six months ago when Birnbaum called her Walgreens pharmacy requesting if the drug store made home deliveries.

Birnbaum told investigators Dewey, a pharmacy technician, answered the phone, told Birnbaum that Walgrees does not make deliveries, but offered to drop off Birnbaum’s Xanax prescription on her way home. (more…)

St. Lucie County Sheriff’s investigators on Friday night arrested a pharmacy clerk on charges of trying to sell undercover deputies 2,000 Oxycodone pills for $2,000.

Fort Pierce resident Emily N. Humphrey, 21, faces charges of drug trafficking and possession with intent to sell.

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